God Bless You Sermon 6: How To Bless Your Children

A. INTRODUCTION.

1. What is blessing? It is adding value to their life. You must bless children and add value to their lives.

WHY BLESS CHILDREN

1. They have their entire life to live.

2. They have great potential for God.

3. The example of Jesus.

4. The teaching of scripture, Psalm 127.

5. They carry on your influence.

6. They need it to prosper.

7. So you won’t be selfish.

8. To keep from being cursed, Matt. 18:6.

2. The Enemy hates for them to prosper. Columbine, Paducah, Ft. Worth, Jonesboro. The worst enemy of all, abortion.

3. Take prayer to a higher level. “Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children” (Lam 2:19).

B. YOU BEGIN TO BLESS CHILDREN BY PERSONALLY VALUING THEM.

1. Love and accept them. “Let the children come to me, don’t send them away, because of such is the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16, ELT).

2. Learn faith from them. “Whoever will not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter in” (Luke 18:17).

3. Not selfish. You don’t bless for personal gain or selfish reasons.

4. Bless naturally. Do things for them.

5. Bless by what you do spiritually. You move them closer to God.

6. Bless by what God does. Protect, enrich, teach, help, encourage, etc.

HOW TO GET READY TO BLESS CHILDREN

1. Draw them to you.

2. Be a faithful example to them.

3. Do something naturally as basis for blessing.

C. YOU BLESS CHILDREN BY INITIATING FAITH IN THEM.

1. Children want someone to believe in, your blessing can help them believe in God.

2. You stretch them by blessing them for what they can become, not what they already are.

3. Children need someone with a “yes you can” attitude, that will help them believe. “Yes I Can.”

4. When children question God, give them confidence; when they doubt give them answers; when they can’t do it, give them help.

D. YOU BLESS CHILDREN BY MAKING YOURSELF VALUBLE TO THEM.

1. Give them natural blessings.

2. Give them your heart and soul. Find the real you, and give it to children.

3. If children are not drawn to you, it is difficult to bless them.

CHILDREN DON’T WANT TO BE AROUND:

1. People who belittle them.

2. People who discourage them.

3. People who criticize them.

4. People who don’t believe in them.

E. YOU BLESS CHILDREN BY KNOWING AND RELATING TO THEIR NEEDS.

FIVE THINGS EVERY CHILD NEEDS

1. A relationship with God.

2. A healthy relationship with others.

3. A purpose to live for and ultimately to die for.

4. The realization of some accomplishment in life.

5. A partnership they can trust.

F. YOU BLESS CHILDREN WHEN YOU HELP THEM FULFILL GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THEIR LIFE.

1. Salvation. “Let the children come to me” (Mark 10:14, ELT).

2. God’s plan. God loves you, and has a wonderful plan for your life.

3. Abilities. “Every man (child) hath his proper gift of God” (I Cor. 7:7).

4. Godliness. “Whoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 18:4).

G. FORMULA TO BLESS CHILDREN (Outline taken from Smalley & Trent, The Blessing).

1. Meaningful touch.

a. Hug.

b. Kiss, (Gen. 27:26).

c. Touch head, (Gen. 48:14).

d. Holding, (Mark 10:16).

2. Speaking the blessing.

a. Levitical Blessing. “Shall put my name upon the children” (Num. 6:27).

b. Words of faith. “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob” (Heb. 11:20).

3. Attach high value when you bless.

a. Predict their potential.

b. Put 10s on the forehead.

c. Use word pictures. “Judah is a young lion” (Gen. 49:9).

4. Picture a special future in your blessing.

a. Do not restrict them, expand them.

b. Our blessing expectations must be consistent with their past.

c. Our blessing must predict a special future.

5. Your active commitment to fulfill the blessing.

a. Become a student to learn about them.

b. Become a teacher to guide them.

c. Become a benefactor to provide for them.

d. Become a prayer warrior to intercede for them.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.